Tallow muscle rub is an essential addition to your medicine cabinet, especially for those with physically demanding jobs. It’s the perfect solution to help ease sore muscles, offering natural relief when you need it most. This homemade tallow muscle rub is simple to make, has a delightful scent, and is highly effective—making it a true game-changer!

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I’ve been on a mission to create a muscle rub that works wonders for both me and my loved ones. Working physically demanding jobs can take a toll on the body, and a little tallow muscle rub can make a huge difference for tired muscles, minds, and spirits.

This muscle rub is made with tallow as its base, which is not only moisturizing but also deeply penetrative—perfect for our animal skin. It’s combined with essential oils chosen for their anti-inflammatory, circulation-boosting, analgesic, and healing properties.

Special additions like arnica and wintergreen make this rub even more effective—arnica for relieving muscle and joint soreness, and wintergreen for its anti-inflammatory, circulation-enhancing, and cooling effects.

This tallow muscle rub would make a thoughtful gift for a hardworking loved one or a simple indulgence for yourself. I personally use it on my wrists, which get a lot of activity from cleaning houses for work and making bread for pleasure.

Don’t stop doing what you love—just use a little tallow muscle rub to keep moving with ease!

What is Tallow?

Tallow is cooked down beef fat. Also defined as rendered beef fat.

Learn more here about tallow and how to make tallow for cooking and beauty products.

What is the Difference Between Tallow and Lard?

Tallow is rendered beef fat and lard is rendered pork fat.

The Benefits of Tallow

Tallow is rich in vitamins A, D, E, and K, which are essential for maintaining healthy and nourished skin.

These vitamins help to promote skin regeneration, reduce inflammation, and improve overall skin health. Tallow is also deeply moisturizing and can help soothe dry, irritated skin.

Where To Source Tallow

There are two options for sourcing tallow. You can buy beef fat from a local butcher for cheap and render it yourself, or you can usually buy a jar of tallow locally or online which is easier but can be more expensive.

How To Make Beef Tallow

Making tallow is not as intimidating as it seems. First thing to do is source beef fat, you can buy the fat itself or by saving the fatty pieces off steak (though I wouldn’t use this fat for skin care).

Once you have a couple pounds of beef fat, throw it in a pot on the stove on low heat and let it cook down for a couple hours.

There are some different ways to do it and some nuances you’ll learn along the way but it is simple.

The differences between cooking tallow and skin care tallow is the time spent purifying, straining, and using the right kind of fat.

Arnica Oil

Arnica oil is an herbal extract from the Arnica montana plant, which is native to both Europe and North America.

Traditionally valued for its healing properties, arnica oil has been used for centuries to treat bruises, sprains, sore muscles, and inflammation.

Due to its powerful anti-inflammatory, circulation-boosting, and analgesic effects, arnica oil is commonly applied topically in balms and rubs to reduce swelling, relieve pain, and promote faster recovery from injuries or muscle fatigue.

Learn more about Arnica oil here.

Where can I get Arnica oil?

I found high quality Arnica oil from my local health food store. It can be a bit expensive but its pure and will save you money in the long run to make your own tallow muscle rub.

You can also find it online here at a decent quality and price point.

Wintergreen Oil

Wintergreen oil is an essential oil derived from the Boxberry plant (Gaultheria procumbens), native to North America.

With its sweet, minty, and refreshing scent, wintergreen oil is celebrated for its powerful therapeutic benefits, including anti-inflammatory, analgesic (pain-relieving), and cooling properties. It’s commonly used in muscle rubs to ease discomfort and reduce inflammation.

Additionally, wintergreen oil has antioxidant properties and can help boost mood, making it a great natural remedy for work fatigue and stress.

Learn more about wintergreen oil here.

Where can I get wintergreen oil?

Check your local health food store or online.

I like this brand, its generally good quality at a fair price point.

What You’ll Need

The materials are simple, however, the list of ingredients for this tallow muscle rub is a little more extensive than your typical tallow cream as it’s goal is to relieve pain.

Materials

Small Saucepan: With water in it to make the bottom part of a double boiler.

Medium-size Stainless Steel Bowl: To place over your small saucepan for the top half of a double boiler.

Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer with Whisk Attachment: For whipping the butter.

4oz Glass Jar with a Lid (two 2oz): For storing the whipped butter. I used a couple mini mason jar type things like these. They’re so cute and make for a great gifts!

Mini Silicone Spatula: For filling the jar.

Ingredients

Tallow: Made at home, bought locally or online.

Sweet Almond Oil: jojoba, olive, or avocado oil would work as well. I like almond oil for its sweet smell, smooth quality and affordability.

Arnica Oil: Bought online here or at your local health food store.

Wintergreen Oil: Bought online here or at your local health food store.

Eucalyptus Essential Oil: Bought online here or at your local health food store.

Peppermint Essential Oil: Bought online here or at your local health food store.

Spearmint Essential Oil: Bought online here or at your local health food store.

Lavender Essential Oil: Bought online here or at your local health food store.

How To Make Whipped Tallow Muscle Rub at Home

Start by measuring your tallow into a metal bowl.

Fill a saucepan with about 1 cup of water and heat it on medium-high. Place your bowl with the tallow on top of the saucepan, ensuring it sits above the simmering water, to create a double boiler. This will gently melt the tallow without direct heat.

Allow the fat to melt completely, stirring occasionally to ensure even melting.

Once fully melted, remove the bowl from the heat and let it cool on the counter slightly. Add almond oil, arnica oil, wintergreen, and essential oils.

Mix and let cool until it reaches a semi-hardened state.

Once semi-hardened, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, begin whipping the mixture. Continue to whip until the balm reaches a light, fluffy, whipped consistency. This process should take a couple of minutes.

Once whipped, transfer the balm into a clean jar or container for storage.

Apply the whipped tallow muscle rub to sore muscles or areas in need of relief. Enjoy the soothing, cooling, and nourishing benefits of this all-natural tallow muscle rub!

How To Make Tallow Muscle Rub at Home

Bronwyn Case

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Total Time 2 25

Servings 8 oz

Equipment

Small Saucepan
Medium-size Stainless Steel Bowl
Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer with Whisk Attachment
8oz Glass Jar with a Lid

Ingredients

120 g Tallow
30 g Almond Oil or jojoba, olive, avocado
1 tbsp Arnica Oil
1 tsp Wintergreen Oil
15 drops Peppermint Essential Oil
15 drops Eucalyptus Essential Oil
15 drops Spearmint Essential Oil
15 drops Lavender Essential Oil

Instructions

Start by measuring your tallow into a metal bowl.
Fill a saucepan with about 1 cup of water and heat it on medium-high. Place your bowl with the tallow on top of the saucepan, ensuring it sits above the simmering water, to create a double boiler. This will gently melt the tallow without direct heat.
Allow the fat to melt completely, stirring occasionally to ensure even melting.
Once fully melted, remove the bowl from the heat and let it cool on the counter slightly. Add almond oil, arnica oil, wintergreen, and essential oils.
Mix and let cool until it reaches a semi-hardened state.
Once semi-hardened, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, begin whipping the mixture. Continue to whip until the balm reaches a light, fluffy, whipped consistency. This process should take a couple of minutes.
Once whipped, transfer the balm into a clean jar or container for storage.
Apply the whipped tallow muscle rub to sore muscles or areas in need of relief. Enjoy the soothing, cooling, and nourishing benefits of this all-natural tallow muscle rub!

The medical information on this site is provided as an information resource only, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any health care decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition.

How to Make Whipped Tallow Muscle Rub at Home

What is Tallow?